Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said he could not make any suppositions about what Tillerson meant.

He said he would not answer theoretical questions. However, he did say that China’s right to carry out what he called normal activities in its sovereign territory in the South China Sea is indisputable.

“We hope the countries outside the region can respect this consensus that is in line with the common interests of regional countries and the world,” Lu said.

He added that the situation in the South China Sea has calmed down, and that relations with the U.S. are based on non-conflict and what he called win-win cooperation.

Ankit Panda is with the publication The Diplomat. He told VOA reporter Victor Beattie that Tillerson’s comments are a sharp change from past U.S. policy.

He said some people have expressed opinions about changing U.S. policy in the area.

“Even some commentators and senators, in particular Marco Rubio, who are more hawkish on the issue of the South China Sea, have proposed departures from U.S. policy, including specifically not recognizing Chinese sovereignty, but recognizing the sovereignty of other states.”

But, Panda says the nominee’s proposal goes beyond that.

“Tillerson’s idea, however, goes a lot further here. I think there is a really possibility that this could be, if implemented, a spark to a broader skirmish with the Chinese People’s Liberation Army's Navy.”

During his presidency, Barack Obama increased [the] U.S. military’s presence in East Asia as part of his “pivot” to Asia. President-elect Trump has called for an increased naval presence in the area.